What's in a Song

Award winning folk artist Ken Yates shares the song he wrote that John Mayer wished he had written and writing great guitar parts


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Ken Yates has gained a reputation as one of his country’s brightest rising singer-songwriters. The winner of two Canadian Folk Music Awards for Songwriter of the Year and New Artist of the Year.  Yates supported Passenger on their tour across North America and in Europe in 2020, and has shared stages with Ryan McMullan, Jenn Grant, and many others.He doesn’t like bar chords

  • In this episode, he talked shares his secret sauce open tuning that inspired several songs off of his newest record.
  • How a three chord progressions sound interesting using different chord voicings
  • How a repetitive chord progression allows room for the lyric: iv V vi 
  • Low Cadd9 tuning: C   GDGG   B tuned down to the G then high D string
  • Writing the guitar part and chords first, living with the track for weeks then finding the lyrics in response to the feel of the chords 
  • Making a big living with a small audience the in-between famous and not famous While having an emerging career
  • Opening for other artists and what you can learn
  • Playing Living rooms/backyards/ selling c.d.’s building you’re fanbase
  • Then getting on bigger shows as supporting acts to grow your audience and bigger crowds
  • Persistance and patience
  • How it won’t be the one big thing that sends you over the edge, but many small things

https://www.scarletkeys.com
https://www.instagram.com/skeys2021/
https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

http://www.kenyates.com

Engineer: Peter Sykes https://www.petersykesmusic.com

The show's theme song "What's in a Song" was co-written with Otto Gross
Recorded and performed by Otto Gross: 
@OttoGrossProduction (instagram)
@OttoGrossMusic (Youtube, facebook, TikTok)
https://biglink.to/ottogrossmusic


Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1



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What's in a SongBy Scarlet Keys

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